Upcoming Agent Spotlight Interviews & Guest Posts

  • Estelle Laure Agent Spotlight Interview and Query Critique Giveaway on 1/13/2025
  • Jon Cobb Agent Spotlight Interview on 1/15/2025
  • Jim Averbeck Agent Spotlight Interview and Query Critique Giveaway on 2/17/2025
  • Reiko Davis Agent Spotlight Interview and Query Critique Giveaway on 2/24/2025
  • Shari Maurer Agent Spotlight Interview and Query Critique Giveaway on 3/17/2025
  • Amy Thrall Flynn Agent Spotlight Interview and Query Critique Giveaway on 3/24/2025
  • Sally Kim Agent Spotlight Interview and Query Critique Giveaway on 3/26/2025

Agent Spotlight & Agent Spotlight Updates

  • Agent Spotlights & Interviews have been updated through the letter "K" as of 3/28/2024 and many have been reviewed by the agents. Look for more information as I find the time to update more agent spotlights.

Tip Tuesday #54

I meant to post this earlier in the day, but it got away from me (the day that is).  My tip is to enter my giveaway and all the awesome giveaways at WriteOnCon, but I also have a fun, quick tip from Katharina (Cat) Gerlach.  Here it is!

I follow quite a lot of blogs and I love commenting. For a while I was very annoyed that word verification was necessary every time but then I figured out that the sometimes hilarious nonsense-words make great names for stuff in my Fantasy and SciFi novels. I named plants, animals and even characters with them, sometimes changing the word a bit to make it easier to pronounce. I have a volyp (an oceanic being with five tentacles), a pinti (1/2 a pint or 1/4 l), a porsork (a meat animal the size of a dog with green hair, four legs that makes noises like a pig), a character named Shetri and many other fun elements. 

Love this, Cat!  I've definitely seen and typed some great ones while out commenting on posts.  I should start writing them down.  I particularly love porsork from your list of names!

16 comments:

Ishta Mercurio said...

LOL! I never thought of this, but it is SUCH a great idea! Thanks for the tip!

Renae said...

What a great idea! I usually curse word verification, but now I will look at it in a whole new light! Thanks!

Beth said...

What a fun idea! I love it!

Meredith McCardle said...

Have you seen this before? Some of these had me rolling with laughter.

http://rhizome.org/editorial/3739

Natalie Aguirre said...

Great tip. It is amazing where you can get ideas if you look.

erica m. chapman said...

LOL!! Way to use it for good ;o) Great idea. Thanks for sharing!

Anonymous said...

Ha! Oh man, nice thinking.

Lisa Nowak said...

Well, there's a way to make lemonade out of lemons. :)

kathrynjankowski said...

Such a clever idea! Thanks for sharing.

Lisa Potts said...

Had a weird one just today but I can't think of it now. I'll have to start paying better attention!

Connie Keller said...

I love it! LOL.

Katharina Gerlach said...

I write them in a little notebook, and when I need a name, I'll flip through it.

Colene Murphy said...

wow thats a neat idea! might have to start paying attention to it now.

Claire Dawn said...

ha! Wished I wrote a genre that was more conducive to this! :)

Julie Musil said...

This is great! Those things drive me crazy, so it's nice to find a purpose!

Clara said...

What a wonderful idea! Loved it!